


down to the marrow.

by nightcoast



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Childhood Friends, College AU, F/M, First Love, Friends to Lovers, Libraries, Modern AU, Same Age, mature for now before actual explicit scenes are written
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:22:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26136433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightcoast/pseuds/nightcoast
Summary: “I beg you, eat me up. Want me down to the marrow.”— HÉLÈNE CIXOUS, FROM “THE LOVE OF THE WOLF”The funny thing is that life has it's own way of dragging you down a path you'd never would've seen for yourself before. Vanya finds herself in a predicament, leading her to accept a job at her university's library in the odd hours of the morning. Thinking she'd have a quiet shift in a mundane job, her world turns upside down when sharp-mouthed and arrogant Five Hargreeves rushes in to throw her life in a whirlwind of bold snark and bitter coffee. But as they talk more, there's something familiar about him that she can't quite place her finger on...
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Comments: 7
Kudos: 56





	down to the marrow.

**Author's Note:**

> unedited.
> 
> My College AU for Fiveya:) You can read my synopsis here on tumblr: https://maradeur.tumblr.com/post/616220176023764992/more-info-on-that-vanya-au  
> This is still pretty unfinished and was meant to be a one-shot but I've been mulling over it for a year and more now I thought it'd be nice to release at least something into the world. If it doesn't finish...er-- well, at least you'll know along the line of how it goes:)

Vanya’s not entirely sure how she got here.

In the low light of the library backroom and past towering bookshelves, Vanya could feel the cool wall against her back contrast against her heated skin. Hands trailing over her sensitive thighs, greedily finding purchase as she sighs into insistent, open-mouthed kisses. The room, she realizes in a haze, is filled with soft moans she faintly recognizes as her own.

Well, maybe she can recount the steps that carried them to this exact moment but she was far too dizzy to think about it right now.

Her lover’s deft fingers find their way beneath the hem of her short skirt. Vanya jolts slightly at the sudden coolness of his fingertips which earns a low chuckle from the handsome man currently ravishing her against the wall of the library’s staff-only room. He guides her legs to wrap around his waist and whispers things that would make even a sinner blush. Under her hooded gaze, she can see glacial eyes glint mischievously in the artificial light.

_He’s the Devil._ She thinks to herself and drags him down closer by gripping the collar of his shirt. Vanya grinds her hips needily against his own, feeling the length of him against her. _Greedy. Ambitious. Arrogant._

But what does that say about her?

At her ministrations, a low moan spills from his lips and Vanya feels her ego rise a little. Her hands release his shirt to slide up past wiry muscles and weave into a crown dark locks. _They’re soft,_ she realizes. The experience dredges up a hazy memory of her younger self dreaming of doing _exactly_ this.

_“Vanya.”_

She opens her eyes to see his face, rosy and almost sick with want. It’s far different from the usual scowl or hard set lines of indifference he wears every day. A giddiness rises in her chest as she tugs open the buttons of his shirt and exposes the warm planes of his chest. 

She’s drunk on a rare swell of pride, Vanya realizes. She’s never considered herself boastful -- nethertheless, prideful -- but now she understands why men fall to their knees at the mere notion of it. In the arms of her estranged childhood friend, Vanya feels like she’s won a game she never realized that she was playing. 

She gasps when his right hand works to push her shirt up. He trails over her the swell of her breast, watching the changes on her face with eager anticipation.

_“Five,”_ She sighs, barely above a whisper, and leans up to seal his lips with a kiss.

**. . .**

**| SEVERAL MONTHS AGO |**

“--And if you can’t figure out how to pay for it, that’s your problem!”

Vanya winces at the slammed door that nearly hits her face as she clutches the crumpled rent notice from her apartment complex. She feels the floorboards beneath her feet rattle at the sheer force. In the corner of her eyes, a few tenets peek their head out curiously. But Vanya is far too annoyed to pay attention to them and rubs her nose stinging from the astringent smell of medicinal cleaner and paint that had wafted up. The mocking beige of her landlord’s door stares back at her mockingly as she hears the lock click for good measure. 

Her anger rises and she has the idea to punch through the door and beat some sense into him.

_It’s not fair._ She thinks to herself as she turns on her heel instead and stalks angrily to the end of the hall and up the stairs. _I’ve never missed a payment before for all the time I’ve lived here and now they’re raising rent with nothing to show for it._

Not that she’d ever say it outloud however. Vanya preferred to fume in her silence than to engage in confrontation. Call her a coward, but she never liked making a scene if at all necessary. Too much stress on her part to deal with. Vanya heads back into her apartment, keys jingling fiercely as she tears open the door and shuts it quickly.

It’s warm in her apartment, compared to the chill of the hall. She lets out a sigh as she unceremoniously drops her jacket, scarf, and keys on the broken radiator next to her door. Just as she makes her way to the kitchen to pour a drink for herself, the high-pitched chirp of her phone cries out.

Vanya grumbles at this and walks back to her coat to fish out the offending noise only to realize it was a familiar name displayed on the screen. Her frustration eases slightly, seeing the smiling photo of her sister pop up on the screen. 

She answers, hoping the anger in her tone smoothes out. “Allison.”

“Vanya! You answered, thank goodness,” Allison’s voice is tinny over the speaker of the phone but it’s her and it makes Vanya feel a little more at ease. “I was worried you’d be busy or something but I’m glad I caught you!”

A smile tugs at the edges of Vanya’s lips. “I was a little before but it’s fine now. Did you need something?”

“Mhm, nothing too bad. I was hoping you’d like to join me for some coffee today? I’m finally coming back to town and I wanted to catch up for a bit.”

“Sure,” Vanya says and mentally runs through her plans for the week. “I should have some time today if that’s alright. I just need to finish some stuff for a class and then we can head out later in the afternoon.”

“Sounds great! Can I meet you at your apartment?” Vanya can faintly hear the chatter of some others in the background of Allison’s call, indicating she wasn’t alone.

“Yeah, that should be fine. I’ll see you in an hour a half.”

Allison quickly says her goodbyes, hanging up promptly and leaving Vanya in the quiet of her apartment. She sighs again, the anger burns low in her chest but faded enough to be filed away for the sake of going about her day.

There’s much work to do, she decides and turns forlornly from the kitchen. Thus abandoning the idea of a much-needed drink before heading to her desk to start on the stack of papers calling for her attention.

**. . .**

It’s hours later when Vanya finds herself tucked neatly in the corner of the bustling cafe in the heart of the university’s campus where students are either studying vigorously in their cramped tables or chatting idly with friends. The winter chill barely skims the skin of her ankles with each opening of the door and she’s glad she decided to wear her jeans today. She cups the warm mug of freshly made latte in her hands. It’s mellow, mild, and on the sweet side, just the way she likes it.

Allison sits across from her, dumping sweetener in her black coffee. Bitter, yet over-loaded with sugar. Even after all these years, Vanya takes comfort in the fact that some things stay the same as when they were kids. But in the light of the cafe, Vanya can’t help but admire how lovely her sister’s gotten. Ever since leaving the east coast to head towards the star-studded west of American media, Allison only has grown in beauty and in maturity. That what she supposes is the natural path for an up-and-coming actress though.

“So,” Allison starts, as her eyes are trained on swirling the sugar into the coffee. “That icky new landlord still giving you a hard time?” She curses slightly when a few drops spill over the edge of her cup.

“You can hardly call him new anymore,” Vanya scoffs and hands her a napkin. Allison accepts it gratefully. “He’s been the owner for months now. I just...miss the old one.”

“Yeah, that’s why you continued living in that shabby old place, right? That sweet old granny that would give you her leftovers or something.”

Vanya rolled her eyes. “Like any other college student, I’m _poor,_ Allison. Besides, it’s cheap and near campus, the occasional free food was just a plus. It’s fine as long as I have a roof over my head,” She pauses to take a sip. “Well, not that I’ll have one for long though.”

“What?” Allison furrows her brow, “What do you mean by that?”

“Rent’s gone up,” Vanya says with annoyance lacing her tone. “I’ve been good about paying it since I’ve added on my paycheck as a teacher’s assistant to the tutoring I already do--”

“But it’s still not enough,” Allison finishes for her. She bites her lip. “You know you can always come home. I know your bedroom is still there--”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to be a bother,” Vanya waves her hand at the idea. 

“But-”

“I need to live near campus anyway. The house is an hour’s drive away and I’d just waste more money taking care of a car or riding the transit all the time,” She says with a tone of finality. 

“ _Our_ house,” Allison gently corrects her and tentatively places her hand over Vanya’s. “We’re still your family, even if we’re not biological you know.”

“I know,” Vanya says after a beat of silence. While grateful for the wealth of love and stability Allison and her adoptive parents have given her, Vanya can’t help but feel a little unsettled in the spaces that they dominated. She felt alien, being adopted while being on the older side was a blessing and she was lucky in many regards to have Allison as a sister. But it never helped the looks she got from strangers since she never looked anything like them. Vanya, small and mousy, with straight brown hair instead of the confidence and flowing curls her family possessed.

_Like a fish out of water._ People would whisper in the hallways of their old high school. 

“Look,” Allison sighed, throwing her hands up in defeat. “You won’t budge on this type of stuff, I know you. But I do know of a job that can at least help out a little more with not that much work involved.”

Vanya winced as she drank her latte too quickly and burned the tip of her tongue. “Please don’t tell me it has to do with posing for the life studies class for art students,” She said and turned a pale at the thought. While it was an easy job, it was too cold, too many prodding eyes, and far too much awkward silence for her.

Alison barked out a laugh, earning some curious glances from the cafe’s patrons. “Ha! While that _is_ on the table, I figured this one might be more you. It’s got your whole -- what are the kids saying now? -- your _vibe_ written all over it.”

Vanya raised an eyebrow at her, watching warily as a smug grin stretched across her sister’s face. “You’re a _kid_ yourself you know. We’re both technically kids. Compared to most adults, being 21 is still young.”

“Ugh, don’t say it like that. I’m a young...older adult.” Allison wrinkles her nose at the contradiction that clumsily leaves her mouth. It ends more like a question rather than a declaration. 

Vanya chuckles. “What’s the job anyway?”

“Interested?” Alison’s eyes shone, whether from mischief or excitement or both, Vanya didn’t know. She didn’t say anything though which prompted Allison to continue. “I did this job all the time when I was on-campus. It’s a night shift job at the university’s library. The hours are gross for normal people at least but it pays well.”

“Are you implying I’m not normal?”

“I’m implying your sleep schedule’s fucked so might as well make money off of it.”

Vanya rolled her eyes.”You’re not exactly being the most encouraging sister here.”

“Hey! Don’t think I will pretend you’ve gotten over your insomnia. We both know you tried to manage it but with a job this boring, it might make your brain actually go to sleep earlier.” Alison’s shoulder shook as she laughed.

“It’s not like I asked to be this way,” Vanya quipped. “So how do I apply?”

**Author's Note:**

> I have more written, just trying to get it to an acceptable place to stop. Sorry for the uneventful chapter, thanks for your patience:)


End file.
